Mediterranean Sea

Something New• Greece made the decision to secede from Persia

through public debate & actually voting – Other civilizations (Egypt, Persia, China, etc…) had

autocratic rulers (Pharaohs, king, emperor)

• In Greece, there was freedom to express ideas & leaders were receptive to the will of the people

• Greece wasn’t the largest empire, but their culture & way of thinking/life transcended time & became part of the western civilizations own culture

The Sea

– in ancient times, Greece was not united, but a collection of lands & islands where Greek-speaking people lived

– Greek peninsula that jutted out in the Mediterranean Sea – specifically the Aegean, Ionian, & Black Seas

– The rest of the territory consisted of lands on the coast of Asia Minor & islands around

– Physical geography shaped the Greek’s way of life – rough narrow valleys, & no navigable rivers

– however, the sea replaced the rivers for ways to communicate, trade, & just stay connected

The Land

• ~3/4 of Greece is covered with mountains – Mt. Olympus being the largest – “home of the Greek Gods”

• mountains divided Greece into different regions • the city-state Sparta was ~60 miles from Olympus, but it took

~week to get there

• made a unifying government difficult – organized into small independent communities called city-states

• most Greeks considered “home” their own valley & the mtns. surrounding it

• lived in fertile valleys – watered by small streams, not large rivers suitable for large-scale irrigation & control

• never able to house large populations – no more than 2 million at one time

• fruits & veggies could grow only in a few places• meat was rare because Greece lacked the

grasslands to support animals• three principal crops: 1grains, 2grapes, & 3olives

• consequently, Greek diet was pretty light & simple– ex. Greek soldier could hike all morning & fight in the afternoon

all on one meal – a few olives & a small loaf of barley bread

The Climate

• Mediterranean climate – temps were/are moderate, & rain falls only in winter

• men typically spent most of their day outside in the agora (marketplace), gymnasium, in political meetings, the theater, or at civic and religious celebrations – all of which were outside.

• that being said, very tight community & feeling of both duty & virtue to be politically involved

The Bronze Age

• Crete – located at the southern end of the Aegean Sea – largest of Greek islands

• Cretan Civilization thrived/flourished/blossomed from 2000-1400 B.C.E.

• referred to as Minoans, after Minos, a legendary king of Crete

• seafaring people with great power in Mediterranean world– traded a great deal with other Aegean islands

Aegean Sea

Crete

Greece

The “Palace” of Knossos on Crete

• three phases of construction from ca. 2000 B.C.E. to the final destruction in ca. 1375 B.C.E.

• Even had plumbing - pipes carried water for bathing & had flushing toilets

• Minoan civilization seemed to have ended abruptly b/w 1400-1200 B.C.E. – we have no clue why

Mainland Greece in Bronze Age• ~2000 B.C.E. Greek-speaking people moved onto

the mainland & settle• known as Mycenaeans – after their leading city,

Mycenae• Mycenae- was built to withstand almost any attack

– located on steep, rocky ridge & surrounded by protective wall up to 20 ft thick

– a warrior-king then ruled the surrounding villages/farms

Mycenaeans

• all across southern Greece there were these fortifications where a warlike ruler resided

• these kings dominated Greece from ~1600-1200 B.C.E.

Bronze Age Society

• the nobles who lived within forts lived pampered life– feasted in great halls –

35 ft wide x 50 ft long

– a massive fire blazed in the center of the hall, gold & silver pitchers

– buried with their richest treasures

• wealth accumulated from warrior winnings – plunder – as well as from trade– bronze age strongly

associated with piracy

• everyone else lived simply – farmers, weavers, goatherds, shepherds, stonmasons, bakers, metalworkers, nurses, etc…

The Trojan War

• war was the favorite past time of Greece’s kings during Bronze age– most famous war – the

siege of the seaport of Troy in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) - ~1200 B.C.E.

– Homer- Greek poet who wrote epic on how a Trojan stole Helen, a Greek king’s wife

Troy• for longest time, historians thought Homer’s tale was fiction, but

in 1871 we think we found Troy• in reality – Trojan war probably fought just because Troy was a

rival trading city

Dark Ages• soon after Trojan War,

Mycenaean civilization collapsed – palace after palace attacked & burned– believed to be “peoples of

the sea” – the same who wreaked havoc on Egyptians

– writing found: “The watchers are guarding the coast”

Dark Ages• Dorian Migrations – Dorians

were the ppl who moved in after the Mycenaeans – spoke a dialect of Greek & were distant relatives of the Bronze Age Greeks– far less advanced than the

Mycenaean Greeks – pottery & tools show very little skill involved

– trade came to a standstill, & most importantly a writing system seemed to disappear

• thus we know very little about the Dark Ages – hence the name

Dark Ages• Communication still

took place – through word of mouth – – Bards- wandering

poets who told stories that glorified old heroes of Mycenae & Troy

– Epic- long, heroic, poems

Homer

• Homer- greatest bard according to Greek tradition – blind old man – wrote Iliad & the Odyssey– Homer’s tales

centered around the heroic ideal – arête – to strive for excellence, to show courage, & to win fame & honor

The Olympic Games (776 B.C.E.)

• in war, Greek heroes sought glory on battlefield

• in peace, Greeks sought glory through athletic competitions – most famous were the Olympics– met every four years – young

charioteers, boxers, wrestlers, runners, & javelin throwers came from all parts of Greece & competed on a grassy field at Olympia

Olympics– games lasted five days – Pentathlon- most

awaited event – supreme contest – 1broad jump, 2discus, 3javelin, 4stadium sprint, 5wrestling match

– winner crowned with wreath of olive leaves

Greek Mythology

• believed their gods to be very human in ways – love, hate, anger, jealousy, etc…– they were immortal

though, & the 12 most powerful were thought to live on Mt. Olympus

• also had local gods & household spirits

Greek Mythology

• (Olympic games, along with most things, were held in honor of Greek gods)

• had developed myths & even soap opera type stories about their gods – myths were usually tied in

with natural phenomenon – rain, earth quake, ocean waves, etc…

Religious Leaders

• did not have a powerful priestly class – instead they were ordinary officials– being a priest was not a life

long commitment either – just a civic duty done for a while

– government & religion were closely related in ancient Greece (sound familiar?)